PLAYOFFS WCF: #3 GSW (4-1) vs #4 DAL (1-4)

[DanSchwartzgan]

this is false. it comes down to D.

For example…

For those who want to blame all of our woes on lack of rim protection (ostensibly Maxi and Powell), take a look at the 10 shots Looney scored.  All 10 came from dribble penetration.  Maxi is a good shot blocker, but if he has to go help on a GS guard or wing blowing by the Dallas defender (usually Luka or Brunson, but even DFS once and Reggie), then the Looney dunk isn’t their fault.

The really discouraging part is eight of the ten “blow by’s” came WITHOUT A PICK.  Just one on one leaving our guy in the dust.  If there was some PNR action you “might” get some rotation from the off-ball side to help in the paint.  That is what we saw Dallas do so well against the prior two opponents in terms of pre-rotations into the paint.  It is more challenging with GS because they move the ball better and can find the open corner (and if we manage to close out the corner, the wing 3 is wide open).  HOWEVER, it is absolutely impossible to pre-rotate when the GS ball-handler can go by his defender at will.

We have not figured this out and it will be our undoing if we don’t.  You can’t give up 56% from the field and 50% from 3% and think we’ve figured anything out.  As Kamm is trying to tell us, basketball is played at two ends of the court.

https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=FGM&EndPeriod=0&EndRange=28800&GameID=0042100312&PlayerID=1626172&RangeType=0&Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Playoffs&StartPeriod=0&StartRange=0&TeamID=1610612744&flag=3&sct=plot§ion=game